Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,887 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,082 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Uluwatu, Bali costs about 79% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Uluwatu, Bali sits 23% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 Rp 74.8K

$2.08 ฿69.2

102.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.88 Rp 832.8K

$19.64 ฿651

138.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 Rp 121.8K

$5.65 ฿188

21.42%

Cappuccino

$3.25 Rp 57.7K

$1.81 ฿59.9

79.56%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

$0.71 ฿23.66

183.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.32 ฿10.48

171.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 57.1K

$2.24 ฿74.2

43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 Rp 88.8K

$3.63 ฿121

37.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.6K

$1.96 ฿65.0

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 Rp 42.6K

$1.50 ฿49.83

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.6K

$1.34 ฿44.32

-8.96%

Eggs

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$2.26 ฿75.1

-1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.63 Rp 330.9K

$16.26 ฿539

14.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 Rp 75.8K

$2.95 ฿98.0

44.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.94 Rp 229.8K

$9.94 ฿330

30.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.1K

$2.57 ฿85.3

49.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.06 ฿35.04

52.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$1.61 ฿53.5

52.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 Rp 36.8K

$1.52 ฿50.4

36.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.0K

$1.27 ฿42.14

50.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 44.8K

$1.07 ฿35.37

135.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

$0.72 ฿23.89

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 Rp 10.4K

$0.51 ฿16.87

15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$4.19 ฿139

-41.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.68 Rp 438.4K

$17.87 ฿593

38.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 Rp 43.6K

$1.69 ฿56.2

45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

$2.84 ฿94.1

5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,667

$0.93 ฿30.70

-65.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.57 Rp 187.8K

$53.9 ฿1,787

-80.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 Rp 10.9K

$1.23 ฿40.95

-50.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

$0.58 ฿19.13

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 Rp 45.5K

$2.42 ฿80.4

5.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.41 ฿46.84

-26.95%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.9K Rp 548.7M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

44.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.7K Rp 706.2M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

45.42%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$90.1 Rp 1.6M

$63.7 ฿2,112

41.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.01 Rp 124.5K

$12.85 ฿426

-45.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.74 Rp 368.5K

$20.22 ฿671

2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Rp 1.1M

$38.74 ฿1,285

65.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 Rp 387.0K

$3.97 ฿132

448.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 Rp 92.9K

$6.74 ฿223

-22.40%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$553 Rp 9.8M

$778 ฿25.8K

-28.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,619 Rp 117.6M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-54.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 Rp 904.0K

$54.3 ฿1,801

-6.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 Rp 705.4K

$25.45 ฿844

56.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 Rp 1.6M

$94.3 ฿3,129

-4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$73.4 ฿2,436

17.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,546 Rp 27.5M

$490 ฿16.2K

215.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 Rp 16.4M

$289 ฿9,596

219.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,743 Rp 84.3M

$894 ฿29.6K

430.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 Rp 40.8M

$517 ฿17.1K

344.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,748 Rp 66.6M

$1,955 ฿64.9K

91.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,055 Rp 54.3M

$1,477 ฿49.0K

106.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.57

147.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,546 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Uluwatu, Bali vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Uluwatu, Bali costs about 79% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Uluwatu, Bali and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $553 per month in Uluwatu, Bali and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Uluwatu, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Uluwatu, Bali at $1,692. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uluwatu, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,692 in Uluwatu, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Uluwatu, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.